(DANIEL EADE is a freelance journalist and regular basketball contributor for BPL.)

I was dumbfounded yesterday when I learned that Perth Wildcats guard Damian Martin was voted the NBL Player-of-The-Month for March/April despite having a largely unproductive month to finish the regular season.

I was then further confused when I noticed Gold Coast Blaze shooting-guard James Harvey had tallied only 'one' vote in the award yet, as one of the journalists who receive the monthly email from the NBL asking for our Player and Coach's votes (on a 3, 2, 1, basis), I had given Harvey 'two' votes. Where had they gone?*

While Martin's skills cannot be questioned, he was outplayed by his direct opponent in two of the four matches the Wildcats played to close their regular season.

In fact, in those four outings, Martin averaged just 10.3ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.8apg and 3.3 steals per game.

Those numbers don't jump out as anything out-of-this-world, especially when you break them down, game by game.

In the first game in question (played through the voting period), the Wildcats defeated the Cairns Taipans 83-60. Martin finished with 13 points (4/7 fg, 2/2 triples, 3/3 ft), 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. So he played well, but he certainly wasn't the star of the game because it was his teammate, Matthew Knight, who was awarded the NBL Player of The Week.

The next game, the Wildcats thumped the Gold Coast Blaze 102-81, and Martin, despite having an off-shooting night, was everywhere else, finishing with 11 points (4/13 fg, 2/4 triples, 1/1 ft), 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 7 steals. Martin's stacked stat sheet was enough to get him the NBL Player of The Week award.

In the third game, the Wildcats lost to the Townsville Crocodiles, 71-72, and Martin scored 7 points (2/8 fg, 1/4 triples, 2/2 ft) with a sub-standard 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. He was outplayed by Will Blacock, his direct opponent, who accumulated 14 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.

In the final game in question, the Wildcats lost to the Taipans 90-87, Martin again having a tough night from the field on his way to 10 points (3/10 fg, 2/5 triples, 2/4 ft), 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, while his opponent, Ayinde Ubaka, had a monster game with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

So how can Martin, who I am not suggesting is anything but a top-notch player in the NBL, seriously be given the 'Player-of-The-Month' award after what, in all honesty, was an unimpressive month except for the one game against the Blaze? Especially when he was genuinely outplayed by his match-up in 50% of the games.

Even when the NBL boasts on its website that Martin "shot the ball at an impressive 47% from the perimeter", it fails to mention that Martin shot the ball at a miserable 33% from the field in total.

Any of Gary Ervin, Kirk Penney, Gary Wilkinson, Trey Gilder, Julian Khazzouh, Ubaka and Harvey, amongst others, could lay claim to a considerably better month than Martin.

So just to clear things up, I'd also like ask the NBL: were the votes added up correctly? Because not only is it unusual that Martin got so many votes, I'm sure James Harvey wants to be credited with an extra two votes. The ones I gave him.

(* The NBL has responded to this question with an explanation, as shown below in the comments section. BPL.)